Territory



rnnvloaex. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. J. SHRADER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 552,204. Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

2141271665 es m ffw @M/ (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2.

E. J. SHRADER. TRACTION ENGINE.

No.. 552,204. vPatmllxad D60. 31, 1895.

ANDREW BGRAI'IAM. PHOTO-LITIIUWASN'NGION. D C,

3 Sheets8heet 3.

E. J. SHRADER.

(No Model.)

TRACTION ENGINE.

,204. Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

UNTTED STATES EDIVIN J. SI-IRADER, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,204, dat d D emb r31, 1895.

Application filed August '7, 1895.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. SHRADER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake, Utah Territory,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make'and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements intraction-engines, and it has more particular reference to that class oftractions which are especially designed for use in general haulage.

The invention has for its object, among others, the provision of atraction-engine provided with automatic steering mechanism, whereby theengine may be guided in its course in either direction automatically,the engine to be used in connection with cars which are provided withlike steering mechanism, thereby enabling the engine to move a train atfull speed in either direction, regardless of the position of the enginewith reference to the cars of the trainthat is, the engine will eitherpull or push the train whether the cars be coupled to the front or therear of the engine, or the engine will handle a train in both directionswhen cdupled in the center of the train.

In the construction of traction-engines heretofore it has been common tomake provision for steering the engine in its forward movements only.Hence it has been impossible, owing to the lack of provision forsteering the train in its rearward movements, to move a train whilebacking the engine.

A further object of the invention consists in providing a constructionwhereby the weight of the engine will be sustained upon springs, as inthe case of railway-locomotives, thereby lessening liability to injuryboth to the engine and also the roadway resulting from continued use ofthe engine, a construction which is impossible where either spur orbeveled gearing is used.

The invention has for a further object the Serial No. 558,519. (Nomodel.)

construction whichw-ill be more fully hereinafter described, whereby thedriving-wheels, the auxiliary driver or revolving track, a

frame and the steam-cylinders are self-contained and independent of thebalance of the machine and connected therewith by a vertical trunnionwhich is held central by a kingpin and receiving the weight of theboiler upon balls rolling in a hemispherical groove in the top andbottom members of the trunnion, this construction permitting the entiremechanism connected with the drivers to steer in connection with theguiding-track and steering-trolley, when the machine is runningbackward, provision being made for holding the front axle rigid when theengine moves rearward.

The invention has for a further object the transmission of powerdirectly from the cylinders to the main driving-wheels through across-head and connecting-rod, without the intervention of any toothedgearing whatever, the power being transmitted from the driving-wheel tothe auxiliary driver or revolving track by rolling contact solely,provision being had to utilize the Weight of the auxiliary driver orrevolving track for traction as well as adhesion by mechanism whichdraws the periphery or inner tread of the auxiliary driving-wheel orrevolving track upward against the outer tread of the maindriving-wheel,

the tension between the auxiliary driving wheel or revolving track andthe main driving-Wheel to equal the weight of the said auxiliarydriving-wheel or revolving track. By this arrangement the auxiliarydriving-wheel or revolving track does not hang away from the maindriving-wheel and it becomes a part of the driving mechanism instead ofbeing a driven wheel as would be the case were there no other tensionbetween the main and auxiliary driver than that due to the weightrolling on the auxiliary driving-tire.

A further object of the invention resides in the peculiar constructionof the guiding-track in connection with trolleys the poles of which havevertically-flexible connections with the front and rear axlesrespectively, whereby the engine will beautomatically guided in itscourse in either direction.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the sameconsists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination,arrangement and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifieallydefined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of atractionengine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view taken throughthe boiler in vertical transverse section, one half being shown insection and the other half in full lines. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailin side elevation, showing the main driving-wheel in its relation to theauxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track, and also illustrating thetension regulating mechanism, the same being a section on the line 3 3of Fig. 2. Fig. Al is a section upon the line :1: et of Fig. 2. Fig. 5is an enlarged detail of the guiding-track and trolley-wheels. Fig. 0 isa side elevation of a modification of the invention.

For the purpose of describing my invention, I have in the accompanyingdrawings illustrated a suiiicient portion of a traction-engine toclearly show my invention as applied thereto, and referring therefore tothe details of the drawings by letter, A designates a traction-engineprovided with the usual and wellknown form of boiler, cab, and forwardtruck, which, as they form no part of the present inventionexcepting inthe application of the invention thereto, do not require in thiseonnection a detailed description.

For the purpose of automatically guiding the engine in its movements ineither direc: tion, I provide the road-bed with a central guiding-slot,the construction of which will be at once understood upon reference toFig. 5 of the drawings, in whichitis shown in cross-section, upon anenlarged scale, the same consisting essentially of a base-plate A, uponthe upper face of which are secured two wooden rails or timbers A A saidrails or timbers being parallel and separated a distance slightlygreater than the greatest diameter of the beveled horizontally-(lisposedguide-wheel A carried by the trolley-pole B. The said rails or timbers Aare inclined inwardly at an angle, as shown, and the upper faces of therails are inclined or beveled inwardly, as shown, thus providing abearing-surface for the inclined wheels 0 of the guiding-trolley. Itwill be at once seen that by this construction the wheel A will at alltimes be retained within the guiding-slot between the rails, when theengine is in motion, and that in order to remove the same from the slotit will be necessary to move the same out of its engagement with theside rails, with one or the other of which it is at all times in contactwhen in use.

The engine, as well as each of the cars used in connection therewith,is, it will be understood, provided with a trolley B at each of itsends. The poles of the said trolleys are vertically flexible, thetension of the same tending to normally hold the wheels carried therebydownward, and suitable lever connections, as shown at D and D, beingprovided for raising the same out of engagement with the guiding-slot,when it maybe desired to use the engine upon ground which is notprovided with the guiding-slot. \Vhen it is proposed to use the enginein furnishing power for plowing and for the numerous uses to whichtraction-engines are commonly put, the

trolleys are raised out of the slot and held by means of any suitablelockin g device adapted to the purpose-such, for instance, as the meanswhich I have shown-and the engine may then be guided in its movements bythe use of the ordinary hand-operated guiding mechanism with whichtraction-engines are usually provided,but which I have not deemednecessary to illustrate in my drawings.

The boiler E is at its rear end mounted. upon a trunnion comprising thepart F which is secured to the boiler and the part G carried upon thebolster-frames II, the lower face of the said part F being provided witha hemispherical groove coincident with a like groove in the upper faceof the part G, and within this groove is placed a series of balls, asshown.

' At the outer ends of the bolster frame II are provided vertical postsor standards 7L upon which are sleeved the inner ends of the auxiliarydriving-wheel centers a, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The king-pin 1 has sleeved thereon a stiff spiral spring through which atension, in addition to the weight of the boiler, is caused on the ballsin the hemispherical grooves above mentioned.

J' represents the main frame of the engine, to which are secured thesteam-cylinders J their guides K and the pedestals L, the bolster-platesII, and the steering-trolley B.

From the steam-cylinder J is directly trans mitted the power through thecross-head M, the connecting-rod N and the crank-pin O to thedriving-wheel P, which wheel is provided withan axle Q, thedriving-boxes, oil-cellars, springs, and spring-hangers, as is common inordinary locomotive construction.

The driving-wheel P has a plain turned face and rolls on the innerperiphery of the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track R, annularguards or flanges B being provided upon the said wheel, which serve as adustguard upon either side of the wheel. Means are provided forproducing any required degree of tension between the revolving track Rand the driving-wheel P, the same consistin g of the screw S. (Clearlyshown in Fig. 8.)

It is at once evident that the construction above described is capableof many modifications in detail, all of which would come within thescope of my invention. In Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings I haveshown one of these modifications, in which it might be desired to raisethe power-transmitting mechanism a considerable distance above theground, and in this construction I provide an idler T, which isinterposed between the driving wheel P and the auxiliary driving-wheelor revolving track R.

My invention also contemplates the use of driving-wheels and auxiliarydriving-wheels, and the mechanism connected therewith, as I have hereindescribed the same, in connection with the forward end of the engine, aswell as at the rear end, and it is evident that either one or both endsmay be provided therewith, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

IVhile I have shown steam-cylinders as furnishing the motive power, Ialso contemplate the operation of the engine by the use of electricityand all other sources of power which are applicable thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A traction engine, and a steering mechanism consisting of a trolleypole B connected at one end of the engine, the three wheels A C, 0,combined with the rails of the guide track which are sufficientlyseparated to allow the wheel A to be raised and lowered between them,substantially as described.

2. A guiding mechanism for traction engines, the same consisting of atrolley pole which is attached to the engine atone end and adapted to beraised and lowered, the two wheels 0 j ournaled upon opposite sides ofits forward end, and the wheel A journaled upon its under side, combinedwith the track rails inclined inwardly toward each other and separatedsufficiently at their upper edges to allow the wheel A to be raised andlowered between them, substantially as specified.

3. A traction engine, the trolley pole hinged at one of its ends, thetwo rollers orwheels O secured to opposite sides of its front end andinclined inwardly toward each other at their upper edges, and the wheelor roller journaled upon the under side of the front end of the trolleypole, combined with the guide track rails which are inwardly inclined attheir upper edges so as to stand in a line with the wheels or rollerswhich run upon them, substantially as shown.

4. In a traction engine, abolster frame provided with vertical posts orstandards at its ends, and the sleeved driving wheel centers avertically movable thereon, combined with the revolving auxiliarydrivers or endless tracks and the main driving Wheels, substantially asspecified.

5. In a traction engine, the boiler, a bolster frame for supporting oneend thereof, steam driving cylinders, driving wheels operated by thecylinders, and the auxiliary revolving tracks which are in directcontact with the driving wheels, and means for regulating the degree oftension of the driving wheels upon the auxiliary drivers or revolvingtracks, substantially as described.

6. In a traction engine, the boiler, the trun nion secured to one endthereof, the bolster frame provided with a socket to receive thetrunnion, anti-friction devices placed between the trunnion and thesocket, the king bolt or pin passing through the trunnion and the frameand provided with a spring, the sup-. porting springs, the main frame J,the steam cylinders, the piston rods, the smooth faced driving wheels,the auxiliary drivers or re- Volvin g tracks in direct contact with thedriving wheels, and set screws for regulating the pressure of thedriving wheels upon the auxiliary driving wheels or revolving tracks,substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

EDWIN J. SHRADER.

Witnesses ll/IORVEN THOMPSON, FRANKLIN H. HOUGH.

